 Ryan in 1919 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born: | May 8, 1890 Washburn, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died: | February 7, 1962 (aged 71) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
| Career history | |
| As a coach: | |
| |
| Head coaching record | |
| Regular season: | 10–1 (.909) |
Willard J. Ryan (May 8, 1890 – February 7, 1962) was an American teacher and football coach who served as the first head coach of the Green Bay Packers. Historically, Curly Lambeau has been credited as being the Packers' first head coach, although this is primarily due to the different rules of American football in the early 1900s. In Ryan's era, the head coach was not allowed to communicate with the players while they were playing a game. Lambeau, as team captain, would call the plays during a game and also organized practices, tasks that are now allocated to the head coaching position. Ryan, who also coached the Green Bay West High School football team, only coached the Packers in their inaugural season in 1919, leading the team to a record of 10–1. Before his coaching career, Ryan served in World War I in 1918. In 1920, he moved to Minnesota to work as a school teacher and a superintendent of schools. He retired in 1955 and moved to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1961. He died of unknown causes on February 7, 1962, at the age of 71.